


Somewhere Between Your Heart and Mine

by BarbwireRose



Category: Thor (2011)
Genre: Angst and Humor, Community: norsekink, M/M, Thor fails at understanding the language of flowers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-11-29
Updated: 2012-01-02
Packaged: 2017-10-26 16:15:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 11,546
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/285329
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BarbwireRose/pseuds/BarbwireRose
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>*Revised on 2/17/12* Five times Thor used flowers to mistakenly give Loki the wrong impression, and the one time he got it right.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Since I apparently have no self control, I took on another fill for the Thor kink meme even though I still have a novel wip to finish. This one asked for five times that Thor tried to woo Loki with flowers before he finally succeeded, but once again I took crack and turned it into an angst fest.

Somewhere between your heart and mine, there’s a window that I can’t see through. There’s a wall so high that it reaches the sky, somewhere between me and you. ~Daniel O’Donnell and Mary Duff

Meadowsweet (uselessness)

Thor and his friends were just about to wrap up their inaugural hunting trip when the young prince remembered that he had promised to bring back a souvenir for his brother who had been forced to stay at home, this new thought causing him to pause in his packing. What sort of trinket could he find nearby that Loki would appreciate? As he considered this dilemma he allowed his eyes to wander about the forest he and his friends were currently situated in, but nothing that would warrant his brother’s favor seemed to catch Thor’s eye.

“Care to let the rest of us in on what you find so fascinating about our present accommodations, Thor?” The bemused drawl of his companion Fandral cut through his musings and caused Thor to glance over to where the rest of his friends were currently gathered, the sly grins painting their faces bringing a rosy flush to his cheeks.

“I was…I was just thinking of what I could possibly find here to bring back to Loki,” he replied shyly. “This is the first adventure that we haven’t gone on together, and…I promised him that I would bring him back a-a…”

“A memento?” Sif supplied sarcastically, and Thor could tell by the curve of her mouth that his friend was merely humoring him, for it was well-known that relations between her and Loki were ‘strained’ at best. However, despite knowing Sif’s opinion of his brother, Thor found her conduct to be out of line in this case, seeing as Loki had done nothing to earn her vexation.

“Yes, that is _exactly_ what I’m looking for,” he snapped, all of his fourteen-year-old frame drawing itself up to its full height as he attempted to adopt an intimidating stance. “I know that you’ve never been particularly fond of my brother, Sif, but I will _not_ permit you to mock me simply because I made a vow to bring back a gift for Loki,” Thor proclaimed boldly.

“And just what sort of _gift_ do you expect to find in these parts, eh?” Sif shot back, crossing her gauntlet-covered arms with a huff. Now that her pretense of civility in regards to the subject of Loki had been foiled, she decided that she may as well throw caution to the wind and speak frankly. “It isn’t as if Loki would find the same appreciation in a kill as one of us would.”

“P-perhaps there’s some berries around here or something,” Volstagg suggested, in an effort to prevent the current squabble from morphing into an all-out brawl. “L-Loki has a fondness for fruit, right?”

Thor continued to train his steely gaze on Sif’s stoic form when he replied in a voice that bordered on a growl, “Yes, my friend…Loki is quite partial to both apples and berries.” The silence that followed his words seemed to stretch on for a small eternity as Volstagg and Fandral continued to shift uncomfortably while Sif seemed perfectly content to continue staring daggers at him. Only Hogun, who was methodically packing his cleaned weapons into their designated spots in his hunting kit, remained blissfully apart from the surrounding drama, but if one of the others were to have looked closely they would’ve seen a slight twitch to the young man’s mouth. Finally, having grown tired of being examined by Sif’s unforgiving glare, Thor huffed out a breath and bent to collect his things. “The four of you go on ahead; I won’t be long,” he muttered, before stomping off into the copse of trees nearest him without so much as a backwards glance.

An undetermined amount of time later found him traipsing through a windblown meadow and muttering dark oaths under his breath, having no set destination in mind except to find the nearest spot of color. His search for apples had turned up nothing as had his subsequent perusal for berries, and now Thor had vowed to himself that he would bring Loki the first colorful thing that he laid eyes on, figuring that the only option left open to him would be to bring his brother some flowers. It wasn’t as ridiculous a notion as his friends or another outsider may think, he reasoned to himself…not that he really _needed_ the extra bit of convincing. Loki truly _did_ like flowers, said that they had useful properties he sometimes needed when practicing his potion-making skills or some such rubbish and that they could help brighten up his room whenever he felt gloomy.

“Flowers it is,” Thor sighed under his breath, but he could feel his already tired body begin to sag under the weight of defeat when there was not a single flower in sight. Heaving a resigned exhale, he turned and headed in whichever direction his body desired and unconsciously began to take up a murmured chant of, “Flowers, flowers, flowers,” under his breath as his eyes swept the area around him. Thor wasn’t sure how long he walked before he finally spotted a faded patch of pink, but he knew that he must’ve sounded as loud as any warrior fresh off a battle when he triumphantly plucked a thin stem of feathery blossoms and held it up high. “Victory is mine!” he laughed merrily, and all traces of anger from his earlier spat with Sif abruptly vanished in the glow of having achieved his prize.

He had been so sure that Loki would like them, the tiny stalks surrounded by whisper-thin petals leaving a pleasant sensation on his skin after he had taken a quick whiff, but when he knocked on his brother’s door later that evening he received a less than favorable response.

After staring at the proffered flower blossoms for several moments, Loki finally fixed Thor with a penetrating stare as he coolly asked, “Is this supposed to be some form of payback for my having transfigured the sparring weapons into kitchen objects the other day?”

Thor felt his enthusiastic grin dip at his brother’s expression and slowly transform into a frown of bewilderment as he sought to understand what Loki was saying. “W-what?” was all he ended up managing to stammer out though.

Loki looked to be on the verge of tears when he suddenly snatched the reed from his brother’s outstretched hand and ruthlessly tossed the flowers onto the floor. “I know perfectly well how useless I can be sometimes, _Thor_ ; I don’t need _you_ to remind me of that fact!” he spat venomously, as two traitorous tears slowly leaked from his eyes before he was able to slam the door to his chambers shut right in Thor’s face.

The other prince was too shocked to do much more than gape helplessly at the polished wood that was currently mocking him; however, when the muffled sounds of sniffling drifted through the barrier that separated him from his brother, Thor gingerly picked up the forgotten blossoms and wondered how the events that he’d been agonizing over all throughout his journey home could’ve gone so wrong.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Five times Thor used flowers to mistakenly give Loki the wrong impression, and the one time he got it right.

Saint John’s Wort (animosity, superstition)

Citizens of Asgard were treated to a rare sight as they witnessed the two princes of the realm mingling about with their subjects in the open-aired marketplace, the young men dressed in less formal attire in an attempt to blend in. While this vision itself wasn’t anything to raise eyebrows about, the fact that it was _Loki_ who was seemingly leading _Thor_ around was enough to have several Asgardians halt in their tracks and send the pair amused smiles, for it was a well-known fact that the eldest prince enjoyed dragging his younger brother around during their adventures both in and out of the palace. This time, it looked as if Loki was on the hunt for something and was attempting to get his brother to aid him in his quest.

“Can’t we go now, Brother?” Thor whined as Loki once again began to tug him along to another stall, the satchel of ‘supplies’ that he’d been given to guard swinging precariously from his free hand. It seemed like they’d been at this all day long, and despite his warrior’s body Thor was finding himself growing weary due to his need for sustenance. Loki, although he was slighter of build and just shy of reaching his age of maturity, possessed an untold amount of strength that often went unnoticed by everyone except Thor, and right now the golden prince was wishing that said strength would abruptly give out.

Having grown used to his brother’s complaints by now, Loki simply continued to search for the stalls that he knew would carry the ingredients he would need for creating more elixirs for the kingdom’s healers. “All in good time, Thor,” he replied dryly, heaving an exasperated sigh when he felt the wrist in his grip jerk him to a sudden stop. “You are aware that the more of a fuss you put up the longer it will take us to complete this trip, yes?” he asked wearily, turning to give his brother an exhausted glare. Perhaps if he appeared pathetic enough Thor would cease these childish fits, Loki wondered to himself in the hopes that he could perhaps play on his older brother’s weakness.

“But I grow _hungry_ , Brother. Can’t we _please_ just take a rest?” Thor pleaded, puffing his mouth into a pitiful pout. Loki, however, showed no signs of relenting.

“You won’t _die_ if you are not able to eat in the next hour, Thor,” Loki deadpanned as he continued to stare at his older brother balefully. Honestly, he would’ve been better off if he’d come on his own, but nooo… Thor just _had_ to go and invite himself along all because he was ‘bored’.

“But I’m also tired of walking, and you said that you still have several more items to purchase. Can’t we…”

Loki placed the hand that wasn’t holding onto a thick wrist over his brother’s mouth before Thor could complete what would’ve been another desperate plea for a respite and let out another sigh. This argument was going nowhere, and as long as Thor continued to hold them up Loki knew that his carefully maintained patience would eventually fail and cause him to lash out in public. Since he could not let such an event happen, he decided to propose a compromise, which would allow him the opportunity to continue shopping in peace and Thor the chance to go off and do as he pleased under the guise of rendering assistance. “I will make you a deal, Brother. Since I only have a few items left to procure, we can part ways and find what I need separately,” Loki started to explain before Thor tugged the hand over his mouth away and interrupted.

“But how will I know what to get?”

Loki sucked in a deep breath and let it back out through his teeth in a show of frustration but didn’t offer a harsh retort, because as much as he would like to be angry at Thor for trying his patience his brother happened to have made a good point. “Do you think that you could manage a bushel of sunflowers?” he asked wryly, hoping that the easy task would be within even _Thor’s_ capability.

Thor found himself unconsciously straightening at the barest hint of challenge he detected in his brother’s voice and suddenly he didn’t feel quite as tired anymore. “Consider it done,” he announced proudly, a cocky smile beginning to break out onto his face as he sauntered off down a side street.

Loki watched his brother go and was unable to keep a fond smile from curling his lips. “If I had known how easy that would be I would’ve suggested it two hours ago,” he mumbled to himself before turning back around and continuing straight ahead.

Thor searched high and low for a flower merchant, but when he finally found one he failed to spot the flower he was in need of. Walking away from the stall dejectedly, the prince paid no mind to where his feet carried him as he meandered his way through the streets of Asgard with nothing but his own thoughts of failure for company. He had planned on using this opportunity to make amends for the last time he’d tried to bring Loki flowers, but it was looking as if he wouldn’t be getting that chance. Just as he was preparing to head back to the edge of the city, a flash of yellow caught the corner of his eye and caused him to pause in his stride. Thor felt his grimace of defeat morph into a delighted grin as he spotted several bunches of the brightly colored blossoms he’d been searching for, and the blond wasted no time in snatching them all up from the enthusiastic woman running the cart.

When Loki finally met up with his brother an hour after they had separated, he wasn’t sure whether to be worried or amused at the aura of nervous energy that Thor seemed to be giving off. “Did you acquire what I asked for?” he questioned his brother tentatively, his expression showing no signs of the unease he was feeling on the inside.

Thor, having missed the subtle signs of apprehension that currently marred his brother’s countenance, brought the hand that he had been concealing behind his back forward and brandished a heaping bouquet of yellow blossoms proudly. “Your flowers, Brother, as requested,” the older prince declared happily. However, the look that came over his brother’s face when Loki took in the sight of the yellow blooms was not a happy one. “Loki?” he asked unsurely, taking small steps to close the space between them. From this distance, he could see the slight tremble in his brother’s jaw and the workings of a bared throat as Loki swallowed thickly, and Thor knew right away that he had done something wrong.

It took Loki a moment to rein in his composure before he felt confident enough to speak, but when the words finally left his mouth they still managed to sound scratchy and choked. “Th-thank you, Thor, I’m sure that…I’m sure that I can find a use for these as well.” He made an attempt to pluck the flowers from his brother’s now-lowered hand, but Thor refused to relinquish his grip, thereby drawing Loki’s attention to the blond’s worry-filled eyes.

“Have I done something wrong, Brother? You _did_ say to get flowers of the sun, yes?” Thor asked quietly, blue orbs imploring for validation.

If it had been anyone else, Loki would’ve accused them of deceit and cursed them with ruthless efficiency, but since he doubted that Thor even knew the meaning behind the particular blossoms that his brother had mistakenly gotten he decided to withhold condemnation for now. “Yes, yes I did say that,” Loki whispered, before a tickle in his throat forced him to clear it delicately. “However, _these_ are not sunflowers,” he continued in a rather patronizing tone. He could see that Thor was on the verge of offering one of his dramatic apologies but Loki had no need for such things at that moment in time. “It’s alright, Thor, I’ll find another use for these I’m sure,” Loki continued lightly, a nonplussed smile pasted onto his face.

If Thor noticed the way his brother’s smile was tainted in sadness he kept it to himself as the two brothers made the long trek back to the palace.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Five times Thor used flowers to mistakenly give Loki the wrong impression, and the one time he got it right.

Scabious (widowhood, mourning)

The whole of Asgard was filled with merriment as the residents of the realm celebrated the day of their golden prince’s birth, but unlike the majority of those who had crowded into the palace for the festivities there was one who _wasn’t_ looking forward to the day’s events. Every year, Loki had managed to escape to parts unknown (namely his own bedroom) while his brother reveled in the attention that was normally showered upon him during his birthday feast, because as much as he loved his brother Loki could only take so much of the atrocious behavior that Thor displayed once the mead had taken control of his brother’s body. Truly, it was a sight that made him ashamed on behalf of his mother and father, for he’d heard many a time about how his brother’s behavior displeased them. However, something _different_ had happened this year. This time, Thor had stuck to him like a growth and had prevented him from making an escape until well into the night.

Once he reached the safe haven of the palace gardens, Loki let out the breath that he felt like he’d been holding all day long, and the strangled sigh that spilled from his lips seemed to fit his mood perfectly. Sitting next to his brother while Thor and his friends relished in the stories of their infamous ‘battles’ for the pleasure of any wench who was willing to listen had been sheer _torture_ , and now that he had the ability to look back on the situation he realized that his discontent must have been visible, for Sif had chosen not to engage in any of their usual sparring for once. Instead, he had caught her sending him small frowns of sympathy (or at least what could pass for sympathy as far as Sif was concerned) all throughout the meal. At this thought, Loki let out a small bark of laughter as he considered the fact that for all of their differences and the rocky start they’d had, he and the female warrior had a few things in common…namely their distaste for Thor’s egotism and his brother’s skewed view of women. He held no illusions that the two of them would ever become ‘bosom buddies’ or even ‘friends’, but tonight had proven that he had at least _one_ ally in Thor’s camp who seemed to understand where he was coming from whenever he chose to excuse himself early during his brother’s birthday celebrations.

Loki allowed the tranquility of the garden to soothe away the sharp edges of his now-frayed nerves and lull him into a state of calm serenity, a feeling that he’d been deprived of for far too often thanks to Thor and his constant hovering. 'But Thor isn't here to spoil the moment,' a voice in his head piped up, and Loki discovered a tired smile twisting his lips at the truth in the statement. He soon found his feet carrying him to the wall surrounding the garden as if that part of his body subconsciously knew what it was that he needed, and as he looked out over the golden city displayed before him Loki had to say that his appendages knew him all too well…perhaps even better than his own brother. The indelicate snort that bubbled forth in the wake of this errant thought seemed to set off a chain reaction within him, and before he even realized what he was doing Loki discovered a wave of cackles spilling out of his mead-loosened mouth.

He knew that he must have looked quite mad as he stood leaning against the garden wall with one hand braced on top of unforgiving stone while the other attempted to muffle the sounds tumbling past his lips, but Loki quickly dismissed any concerns that he may have had about being discovered, for it didn’t exactly matter to him if someone were to stumble upon him while he was in such a state. He figured that whoever happened upon him would more than likely turn away in alarm and grant him more time alone, a small pleasure that was worth the possible backlash that he would receive courtesy of the kingdom’s rumor mill. If Thor was allowed to make a grand fool out of himself today, then why shouldn’t _he_ be afforded the same opportunity?

Loki was unsure of how long he remained that way, but by the time he felt familiar arms wrap around him from behind he’d already been able to calm down to the point where only an occasional sniffle escaped him. _This_ was the event that he had been dreading ever since he’d taken up refuge in the palace garden, and yet…Loki found much to his surprise that he wasn’t angry at Thor for intruding upon his capsule of solitude. For his brother to have discovered him, it meant that Thor had taken notice of Loki’s absence during the remainder of the feast (which was a surprise in and of itself) and had then taken it upon himself to seek the other man out, both of which Thor had never done before. Loki briefly considered the idea that his brother had simply come to drag him back to a party that wasn’t even his before he felt a heavy head come to rest at the juncture of his neck and shoulder, confirming his suspicion that Thor had come to reattach himself to Loki’s hip.

“Did you enjoy your party, Brother?” he asked quietly, not yet willing to disturb the peace that still lingered by raising his voice. He’d grown so used to this type of treatment from Thor that the pressure against his abdomen and the roughness pressing into his neck almost went unnoticed as he continued to stare off into the night, his attention only broken when he felt his brother’s head shake in the negative. “Oh, you didn’t, did you? Well…forgive me if I choose not to believe you,” Loki chuckled wryly, no real humor behind the sound. This must have set some sort of trigger off in Thor’s head, for the next thing he knew Loki found himself staggering a step as his brother began to transfer more and more of his not-inconsiderable weight onto Loki’s back and shoulders. “Thor…wh-what are you….” he managed to splutter, but the feel of his brother dragging in a deep breath flitted across his unprotected skin and caused his wheeze of protest to taper off.

“You were unhappy, weren’t you? That was why you left and came here,” Thor mumbled against his brother’s skin. He could feel the sigh that Loki let out by the way his brother’s shoulder rose and fell, and the whispered sound was as loud as a death toll in his ears. Not wasting another second, Thor released his grip on his brother's waist long enough to retrieve the flower blossom that he’d carefully hidden inside his tunic before he brought his hand back around to show the purple bloom that he’d picked out earlier especially for Loki. “I had planned to give this to you after the feast was over, but…” Thor discovered much to his chagrin that his throat had decided to stop working during his time of need, so he had to settle for crowding behind his brother in anxious silence while he watched Loki examine the flower.

When Thor had first stuck the slightly-rumpled flower in front of him, a part of Loki had cackled in amusement, for the gift of flowers seemed to be his brother’s favored method of mending a wrong between them. The only drawback to such a practice was the fact that Thor tended to disregard a flower’s meaning in favor of its color, thereby inadvertently sending a second meaning that only Loki could pick up on. The fact that his brother was presenting him with a flower designed for those who were in mourning just seemed to hammer that last point home, and Loki made sure to conceal his inner disquiet by smiling at Thor in thanks, all the while praying that the message hidden in the violet petals was not a sign of things to come.

“It’s quite lovely, Thor, thank you,” he murmured, craning his head back to place a gentle kiss on his brother’s cheek. He knew that the choice of flower had been unintentional on Thor’s part, and that was probably why he felt so guilty about the dusting of tears he later felt on his cheeks as they continued their stay in the garden for a while longer.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Five times Thor used flowers to mistakenly give Loki the wrong impression, and the one time he got it right.

Hortensia (heartlessness, you are cold, a boaster)

The festival of Jul was well under way when Thor set off in search of his elusive brother, the older prince bound and determined to drag Loki out of whatever crevice he was holed up in so that they could enjoy the festivities together. Thor didn't understand the younger prince's joy of solitude, for there was _far_ more enjoyment to be had in the company of others as far as he was concerned, but he was willing to indulge in Loki’s particularities as long as his brother was prepared to reciprocate the favor. And tonight, Thor intended on collecting said favor by having Loki spend the entire evening with him. Now that they were both past their ages of maturity, they were not able to spend nearly as much time together as the older prince would’ve liked, and tonight was as perfect an opportunity as any to fix this injustice. He ended up scouring the palace and the surrounding grounds for what seemed like forever before he finally discovered Loki in the palace garden, and the knowledge that he had already made an inspection of the area without spying his brother caused Thor to sigh in defeat.

“Looking for someone, Brother?” The lilted voice drifted over Loki’s shoulder as the younger prince remained facing away from Thor, and the blond could practically ‘hear’ the smirk in his brother’s tone.

“Not anymore,” he mumbled petulantly, his heavy boots scraping against the gravel of the footpath as he shuffled up behind his brother and wrapped himself around Loki’s slimmer frame. “I wish you wouldn’t tease so much, Loki; you’ve had me looking all over for you for half the evening,” Thor grumbled half-heartedly, his words practically vibrating against Loki’s skin as the blond sought to bury his face into the familiar groove between his brother’s neck and shoulder. Although he couldn’t see the other’s face, Thor pictured his brother’s sly grin when he felt a hand come up to lightly tangle in his hair and brush against his scalp.

“I’m well aware of your arduous journey, Brother. What do you think I’ve been watching since I came up here?” Loki replied wryly, a small huff of a chuckle escaping his lips when Thor used the hold he had on his brother’s body to nudge Loki off-balance. It was a sound that seemed foreign even to his own ears since he hadn’t exactly had many reasons to laugh or to even _smile_ lately, having put all of his tricks away for lack of a suitable target.

Thor and his friends had been spending more and more time either at the sparring arena or parts unknown, and Loki discovered that his pranks just didn’t seem to have the same effect on others as they did on his brother and the Warriors Four, which more or less took the fun out of everything. Despite this seeming lack of entertainment, he’d managed to get by just fine, proving to those who claimed that he lived for naught else but to wreak havoc with his mischief that he could in fact ‘behave’ himself if he so desired. In fact, Loki quickly found that without someone from whom he could elicit a ‘proper’ reaction, his trickery held no purpose, and soon the urge to stir up trouble all but left him completely.

However, instead of gaining a positive reaction, his new change in behavior had become perhaps even more troubling than what was expected of him. The worst part of it all was when his mother had come to see him a few days ago, her brow creased in worry when she commented that he had not been acting like himself lately and was there anything amiss, and all he had been able to do was paste a falsely cheerful smile onto his face and assure the woman that he was quite fine. Loki had seen no need to upset his mother by disclosing the details of his internal struggles when he knew good and well that his current apathy towards life in general would soon be coming to an end, for Thor and his friends had been set to return the following day and with their arrival would also come a much needed breath of life. When he felt the grip around his midsection tighten minutely, Loki unconsciously tilted his head to the side so that it rested against that of his brother, the hand that he still had tangled in flaxen locks taking up a series of soothing strokes. Apparently, he hadn’t been the only one to take this latest separation rather badly.

“I missed you terribly,” Thor mumbled, unconsciously increasing his grip on the form in his arms as if he thought that Loki would vanish into a plume of acrid smoke at any second. 'It would be just like his brother to pull a trick on him while he was in a vulnerable-like state,' he snorted inwardly, but instead of disappearing or even pulling away he felt Loki’s head come to rest against his own and the hand in his hair start up a stroking motion. Perhaps he had judged his brother too quickly? Thor had tried extremely hard not to jump to conclusions where Loki was concerned, but he still found himself slipping into the nasty habit like it was a well-worn boot. Loki must have sensed his inner turmoil because the next thing he knew his brother had moved his hand from Thor’s hair to his chin, and the younger man was slowly guiding his head up so that a kiss could be placed on his temple.

“I’m right here, Thor,” Loki murmured against the mass of golden hair, “and you have my word that I shall not leave you tonight until we both have had time enough to drink our fill of each other.”

Those quiet words were like a song to Thor’s ears, the most uplifting of victory ballads, but he found that he still couldn’t resist asking tentatively, “Do you promise?” There was a difference between giving one’s word and making a promise when it came to Loki, and right now Thor needed to make absolutely sure that his brother would hold true to what he had said.

“Yes…I promise.”

The words were whispered hoarsely, and when Thor finally turned his head to gaze fully at his brother for the first time that evening it was as if he were looking upon the face of a stranger. Gone was the mischievous glint that normally glimmered in Loki’s eyes, and gone was the sly grin that had seemingly taken up permanent residence on his brother’s lips. In his place was a man who looked lost and unsure of his place in the universe, and he had the appearance of someone who needed to be brought back from the brink of the cold grip of death, for there was no other way to describe the look that Loki wore but that of a dead man. Thor felt as if he’d just taken a blow to the abdomen when he caught the glint of light that was struggling to creep into his brother’s eyes, and before he could give his actions a second thought he turned the form in his arms around so that he could embrace Loki properly.

“I know not the cause for the look of despair that graces your countenance, dear Brother, but trust me when I say that I will do all that is in my power to see that that look never haunts your features again,” he spoke into raven-colored locks, one hand cradling the back of Loki’s head like one would an infant while the other rested atop of a prominent hipbone. And when they finally pulled away, Thor noted that his brother’s smile, although shaky, was genuine. However, Loki didn’t say anything for several minutes, and the blond chose to fill the interim silence with light brushes to his brother’s hair until he felt confident that the younger man was on firmer footing. Once he saw that Loki was beginning to revert back into his old self, Thor decided to remind him of his earlier plans for the night in the hopes that a bit of celebration and mischief-making would perhaps cure his brother of whatever it was that had been ailing him.

“Now that we’ve settled this, do you think you would be up for performing a few tricks?” He tried to maintain a serious expression while asking the question, but Thor found that he couldn’t resist grinning like a fool when he managed to coax out another smile out of Loki. “I thought you might. Now, you wait here, and I’ll be right back. I think I have an idea on how to go about returning you to your old self,” Thor stated proudly, before he abruptly turned and swept out of Loki’s line of sight. Where the older prince had gone remained a mystery until Thor came striding back a short time later with a handful of blue blossoms in his hand.

Knowing full well just what type of flower it was that his brother currently held, Loki felt his rising enthusiasm begin to taper off as he struggled to swallow past a sudden lump in his throat. “Wh-where did you find those?” he finally managed to croak, praying that Thor wasn’t about to do what he _suspected_ his brother was going to do.

Unlike their encounter moments ago, Loki’s distress went unnoticed in the wake of Thor’s excitement, and the older prince waved a careless hand in the direction of the far side of the garden. “I discovered them over there some time ago and vowed that I would present you with some,” the blond announced happily, brawny hands moving to arrange the flowers in the silk curtain of his brother’s hair. “I knew right away that I had to give you these,” Thor mumbled absently, “for they reminded me of you despite their being blue instead of green.” While he was working, he never noticed the way Loki’s face continued to fall with every word that was spoken and every flower that was placed into his hair, for Thor was too entranced with how he envisioned his brother would look once he had completed his task. “There, all done,” the blond finally sighed, taking a step back so that he was able to drink-in the entire sight before him.

“How do I look?” Loki asked hesitantly, his insides slowly growing cold despite the warmth he had just been reveling in.

“You’re sure to make all of the maidens green with envy, Brother,” Thor smiled, the sheer adoration on his face only adding to Loki’s inner tumult. If his brother only knew what these flowers stood for, he knew for a fact that Thor would never have associated him with the cursed blossoms. Alas, Loki hadn’t the strength to tell him, for doing so would ruin everything that Thor was trying so hard to rebuild.

So he would wear his blooms of frost proudly, and all the while he would reassure himself that Thor did _not_ in fact see him as everyone else did. Thor, despite his many faults, was Loki’s light and without that light…he would be lost to the darkness that constantly hounded him, the coldness currently coiling around his spine growing until it encased him in a shell of ice where he would remain forever without Thor’s fire to melt it.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Five times Thor used flowers to mistakenly give Loki the wrong impression, and the one time he got it right.

Bilberry (treachery)

Excitement began to permeate the air of Asgard as news of Thor’s impending ascension to the throne quickly spread throughout the realm like wildfire, the feeling becoming more and more overwhelming as the big day neared ever closer. For the Asgardians, it was an inevitable event that they had been waiting for since the time of their golden prince’s birth, but for Thor it was a day when his entire world would be changed forever. No longer would he be able to remain a simple warrior who was free to do as he pleased, his father had said. Once he was crowned, he would become responsible for the safety and well-being of the entire realm, and his previous status as a warrior would have to take a backseat to the needs of his people.

Although Thor had accepted his fate with his usual aplomb, on the inside he was nothing but a bundle of nerves, which brought him back to his motivation for currently seeking out Loki. If anyone could help alleviate the tension he was experiencing, it would be his younger brother. Whereas Thor allowed himself to be governed by his emotions, Loki remained the calm voice of reason, being able to talk the older prince down whenever Thor lost control; not even Thor’s closest friends could boast of having that ability. And right now, he needed that pillar of strength and reassurance that Loki always provided more than anything, Thor admitted silently.

Alas, it seemed as if his sneaky sibling was as determined to elude his older brother as Thor was to find him, so when the time came that he finally stumbled upon the younger man’s form tucked safely away in a quiet corner of the palace Thor was at his wit’s end and uncaring of the spectacle he made when he unceremoniously plunked himself down onto his brother’s bench. Aside from a slight shift in posture, Loki gave no indication that he was even aware of his brother’s looming presence, eyes remaining firmly fixed on the tome in his hands. Although such a response was quite common in regards to their interactions, Thor found that he needed more than just his brother’s mere ‘company’ in order to alleviate the odd sensations that were currently swimming about in his midsection, making even the _thought_ of that night’s feast sound repulsive.

Loki felt his lips twitch ever so slightly when his brother, who had appeared perfectly content to sit and wait him out, turned and planted his upper body in Loki’s lap, forcing him to raise the book that he was reading up and out of the way. To be honest, he wasn’t all that surprised by his brother’s forwardness, for Thor had never been able to withstand being ignored for more than a few minutes before he felt the need to make his presence known. Nevertheless, Loki wasn’t about to bow to his sibling’s wishes without first teasing the other man for a bit; he was the ‘Trickster’ after all.

Making sure to keep his nonchalant façade firmly in place, Loki slowly lowered his book until the backs of his hands came to rest on the exposed skin just below his brother’s collarbone, his lips curling upwards at the indignant huff that he heard puff against the volume’s binding. Trying Thor’s patience had become one of his favorite hobbies ever since he had discovered the reactions that he was able to invoke from his brother; the only downside was that instead of driving the other man away his actions only seemed to encourage Thor to continue invading his personal space more often.

While Loki persisted in ignoring the now-squirming form in his lap, Thor found himself growing increasingly restless when every attempt he made at gaining his brother’s attention went unheeded, leading him to eventually tug Loki’s book out from in front of his face so that his brother would be forced to acknowledge him.

“Just how long do you plan to ignore me, Brother?” Thor chuckled exasperatingly, taking an inordinate amount of delight in the frown that formed between his brother’s eyes and tugged Loki’s mouth downward at the creases.

“Pardon me for trying to enjoy the peace and quiet while I could,” Loki deadpanned, reaching out and snatching back the tome that his brother held aloft with lightning quickness. Instead of reopening it though, he waved it away with a careless hand, sending it back to the safety of his chambers with a small puff of green smoke. There was no real point in keeping it anymore now that Thor had decided to engage him in conversation, and besides…it wasn’t as if he remembered what he’d just read anyway.

Thor watched his brother’s display of magic with a small smile, for despite having witnessed similar exhibitions many times over Loki’s skills never failed to amaze him. “Well, now you can enjoy your peace and quiet with me, Brother,” he replied boldly, crossing his thick arms over his chest and settling himself more firmly in his brother’s lap as if to say that he had no intentions of going anywhere.

Loki shook his head at the nerve his brother was displaying but made no attempt to dislodge the weight from his lap just yet, choosing instead to fold his tapered hands on top of Thor’s nearby shoulder. “Don’t you have better things to do with your time besides imposing yourself on me?” he asked unsurely, a part of him genuinely confused as to Thor’s sudden interest in having a ‘bonding’ moment when by all rights his brother should be out enjoying his remaining time before the crowning ceremony.

“Why, Loki, do you wish to be rid of me?” Thor countered with a smirk of his own before laughing outright at his brother’s longsuffering response that he couldn’t be rid of Thor even if he wanted to. “Then it would seem that you are stuck with me, Brother,” the older prince proclaimed loudly, hoisting his large frame up to his feet before reaching back to haul Loki up next to him. Thor could almost hear the protests dancing upon the tip of his brother’s silver tongue when he pulled Loki against him, but before the younger man could utter a word of them Thor placed a calloused hand against his sibling’s lips, his expression taking on a note pleading. “There is…there is something that I feel I must ask of you, Brother, but this is not the place. I know you’re not one for surprises but…there is something I’d like to show you if you are willing,” he stated lowly, his breath stoppering in his chest as he waited for his brother to signal his answer.

Loki was unable to keep his brow from furrowing in bewilderment at this sudden change in mood that had come over his brother, but he nevertheless gave a slight nod of acquiescence to Thor’s proposition, figuring that perhaps this was the answer to why the older prince had decided to seek him out. Thor’s responding grin, however, had him swallowing thickly as soon as his brother had retracted his hand from Loki’s mouth and had begun to lead them down a darkened path. Thor only got _that_ look whenever he was about to present Loki with some token of affection or show him something that he felt Loki would deem special, but after his brother’s last few attempts at gift giving it was a look that Loki had come to dread, for it usually meant receiving a flower with a hidden meaning that only Loki could decipher.

Thor was completely oblivious to the display of unease that was taking place behind him as he continued to lead his brother to the little wooded area just past the palace grounds, the disquiet he’d been feeling earlier now warring with his newfound excitement at showing Loki what he had discovered the previous day. He knew his brother would appreciate the sight awaiting them, and Thor honestly couldn’t think of a better setting in which to spend one of the last evenings before his coronation. Just as he was rounding one of the trees marking the entryway to a hidden glade he felt the hand in his tighten its grip, causing him to look back to see if Loki was alright. His brother, however, was looking at him with an expression that clearly asked if all of this ‘procession’ was necessary, and Thor couldn’t resist shooting Loki a mischievous grin of his own before he began to tug his brother into motion again.

When Loki finally got a good look at Thor’s ‘surprise’, he felt as if his heart had suddenly shot up to his throat and decided to lodge itself there, but he still managed a weak smile whenever his brother looked over to him for a reaction. This small gesture of seeming approval only seemed to bolster Thor’s spirits further, and the next thing he knew his brother was behind him in what had become their customary embrace for when they were alone, strong arms banded like iron across his midsection as they held him in place. It was a position that he used to crave more than anything, the one thing that made him feel safe and secure, but now his protective cocoon felt more like an oppressive cage and Loki sensed his body stiffening in reaction to Thor’s closeness.

“Do you not like them, Brother?” Thor asked uncertainly, pulling back to look at his sibling in confusion when he felt Loki go rigid in his hold. “I thought for sure that you’d enjoy seeing something so unique, but if I’ve made a mistake…”

“Did they remind you of me?” Loki replied quietly, cutting off his brother’s rambling before Thor could become agitated any further. Although his mouth had spoken to the form hovering just over his shoulder, his eyes had remained locked on the abundant supply of ruby-colored blossoms that were surrounding him from all angles, and never before had Loki felt exposed because of something as trifling as a harmless flower.

“If I say yes will you be angry with me?” Thor sighed, for all intents and purposes sounding like a man who had already been damned. Fandral had told him that this would be a bad idea when he’d accidently let slip his intention to bring Loki here during a period of heavy drinking, and it was looking like his friend had been right. However, instead of rebuking him for being overly sentimental or pointing out how he’d once again bungled the meaning behind a flower, his brother simply continued to stand there frozen like a statue until Thor became worried that Loki had perhaps gone into some sort of a trance.

Just when the older prince was about to turn the form in his arms around so that he could see his brother’s face, Thor felt cool hands gently grip his forearms in a loose hold right before Loki whispered, “What was it that you wished to ask me?”

In the wake of his brother’s distress, Thor contemplated pushing his own issues aside for later, but he found the words, “Do you think I’ll make a good king?” tumbling from his mouth before his mind was able to signal his lips to remain sealed.

It was a whispered plea for affirmation, and Loki discovered that he had no trouble stating, “I think you have the ability to be a _great_ king,” knowing that the words rang true. Despite his current reservations about Thor not being fit for the throne, Loki still maintained the belief that his brother could change and become a man who was more worthy of the title, all he needed was a bit more time.

With a graceful wave of a hand, Loki set the lantern-like blooms aglow with tiny orbs of light that bathed the small clearing with a red hue and caused Thor to stare at their surroundings in awestruck wonder. Loki wished that everyone could witness his brother when he was like this, for it was _this_ Thor that he wished to see ascend the throne, not the cocksure warrior who lived for battle and was too stubborn for his own good. It was _this_ thought that he found himself using for reassurance whenever he considered the plan that he’d begun to set into motion for his brother’s coronation, and as silent tears trickled down his eerily-colored face Loki allowed his body to relax into Thor’s embrace. He allowed his mind to idly wonder about what his brother would think if he were to learn of Loki’s plot before he ultimately turned and rested a damp cheek against the older prince’s chest, wishing that he could crawl inside and never come out. At this point, he would be willing to accept the fallout from his plan as long as it meant that the heartbeat under his ear would be given the chance to grow and mature into the sort of king that Loki knew Thor could be.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Five times Thor used flowers to mistakenly give Loki the wrong impression, and the one time he got it right.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Last stop on the angst train. I'm sorry if this isn't the hearts and rainbows ending you had in mind, but I tried to keep things 'realistic' and still come out with a happy ending.

The one Thor got right

Peach Blossom (I am your captive; your qualities like your charms are unequaled)

Thor stared up at the stars of Midgard and wondered for perhaps the thousandth time if he was doing the right thing as he awaited the arrival of his brother, thoughts of what he would say to Loki tumbling about in his mind until he felt that his body would come undone under the weight of his apprehension. Words had always been Loki’s specialty, not his, but perhaps just this once the Norns would see fit to grant him the same power that his brother wielded so effortlessly, Thor silently prayed. Although the Lady Potts had told him that actions spoke louder than words when it came to demonstrations of love, he knew that things were too far gone between him and Loki for his old method of showing affection to work without words to accompany it. Ever since his brother’s fall, the two of them hadn’t been able to be in one another’s presence without events spiraling into violence, and despite the realistic possibility of such a thing happening again tonight Thor was determined to see his plan through. He owed Loki that much.

The almost undetectable sound of footsteps alerted him to the fact that he was no longer alone a few minutes before Loki’s figure came striding out of the shadows, but instead of engaging his brother in any way Thor allowed the ball to reside firmly in the other man’s court. Giving Loki the power over how things would play out was the ultimate show of submission, and Thor knew that his brother wouldn’t dare disappear once he realized that he had complete control of this encounter, a fact which the blond was actually counting on. He watched as Loki sized up their surroundings with a seemingly disinterested gaze and knew he had made the correct choice in remaining silent the moment the dark-haired man fixed him with a cocky smirk.

“I must say that I’m a bit surprised at you, Thor,” Loki drawled, lithe form slinking over to where the blond sat hunched against a nearby tree. “I knew you could be rather dense, but I never imagined that you would be fool enough to ask for a meeting with me and then come alone.”

The cruel twist of the younger man’s mouth only reinforced how much things had changed between them in the recent past, and Thor felt himself overcome with an inexplicable wave of sadness when he did not recognize the form coming towards him. This was not his Loki, he kept telling himself; every time he and his Midgardian comrades met the other man in battle Thor would say it over and over again in his head as if his very words could somehow vanquish the illusion before him and bring back his brother of old. Thor’s head abruptly snapped to the side when the force of Loki’s open hand cracked harshly against his cheek, jarring him out of his reverie and back to the present where a moonlit specter now crouched in front of him. Had he become so caught up in his thoughts that he’d gone into a trance again, he wondered vaguely before he felt cool hands suddenly grip his face with vice-like intensity and jerk his head around to meet furious green eyes.

“Just what do you think you’re playing at, Thor?” Loki hissed, pale features twisting into a mask of anger as he stared at the blond’s uncharacteristically blank face. When he failed to receive a response from the stoic figure, the younger man increased the pressure on the skin in his hands until he felt hard cheekbones press sharply into his palms. “Answer me damn it!” Loki whispered harshly, shaking Thor’s head in an attempt to rouse the other man from his stupor. Once again, the only reply he obtained was a slow blinking of blue eyes, and Loki was beginning to feel his anger bleed away into desperation. This was all wrong; Thor’s face was made for _expression_ whether it be anger or joy or even sadness. But this…this was the look of a dead man.

Suddenly, Loki found himself petting the stubbled cheeks as if he could somehow will life back into the otherwise lifeless features, his voice turning into a somewhat choked sob as he asked, “Why did you call me here; what is the purpose of this meeting if you do not intend to fight me?”

When Thor felt that he could no longer bite back the words that danced upon the tip of his tongue, he reached up and covered Loki’s smooth hands with his own calloused ones, stilling any movement that the other man might have wished to make with a hoarse, “I have never desired to fight you, Loki…I asked you here to give you something.”

This statement caused the other man’s jaw to clench, and having sensed where this road was leading Loki tried to pull away only to have brawny hands grip him tighter. “Let me go, Thor, your silly flowers will just make things worse,” Loki snarled, wrenching against the hold Thor had on his wrists until the bigger man finally managed to turn him around and pin him against his broad chest. Despite being trapped, Loki continued to struggle until thick arms banded around him so tightly that he began to see stars dance out of the corner of his eyes, but even then he couldn’t resist whining, “Let go damn you!”

“I can’t,” Thor breathed against the elegant neck that strained just beneath his chin, before he buried his face in an old position that he had never thought to find himself in again. “There is a wrong I must first seek amends for, but once I have had my say you will be free to do whatever you wish to me,” he murmured, holding his breath until he felt the rigid form in his arms loosen ever so slightly.

“Very well,” Loki replied stiffly, holding himself apart from Thor as far as he could manage. “What is this _wrong_ that you speak of, and how do you plan to seek absolution for it?”

Ignoring the biting tone of the dark-haired man’s voice, Thor pulled back so that his mouth hovered over a curtain of raven hair, which he then nosed aside in order to get to the ear hidden underneath. “Shed your light upon us and you will see,” he sighed, right before he brought his forehead to rest against the side of Loki’s skull. This was it, he reminded himself sadly. Once Loki got a good look of their surroundings he would either stay or flee, but once the decision was made there would be no going back. He sucked in a harsh breath when he noticed the darkness slowly being replaced by small orbs of glowing light, but instead of the harsh blow to his ribs that he’d been expecting to come from one of Loki’s elbows Thor felt the body in his arms sway unsteadily before it came to rest firmly against him.

“Wh-what is this?” The low rasp sounded nothing like the normally eloquent voice that Thor had grown so used to hearing, but he was once again reminded of how much things had changed since their days in Asgard when Loki’s tone abruptly turned cool, “I-I’ve never seen such flowers before. What do they mean?” The dark head turned so that a guarded gaze could pin Thor with as much force as of one of the other man’s daggers, and the blond could feel the lithe body coiling with renewed tension. ‘This was your own doing’, a voice in his head rang out sharply, and Thor couldn’t hold back a broken sigh at the wariness currently painting the otherwise beautiful face of the man whom he had once called ‘brother’.

“They are called peach blossoms,” he managed to mumble, voice cracking at the end and forcing him to swallow before he could continue. “They are exclusive to Midgard and as such have no equal.” After his voice trailed off, he waited for Loki to respond with one of the sharp barbs that the other man had become adept at doling out lately, but the harsh words never came. Instead, Thor watched in rapt amazement as the dark-haired man’s face softened minutely while Loki attempted to get his throat working; however, the steel remained ever present in the emerald eyes boring holes into him through inky lashes.

“And…and I suppose that you’re going to say once again that these _also_ reminded you of me, yes?” Loki had tried to make his voice sound sardonic and demeaning, but it had come off stilted and forced, a sure-fire sign that he was growing uncomfortable. He had expected Thor to jump all over the opportunity he had just inadvertently provided, to take advantage by pulling him closer until they melded into one giant form like the man had always done during their past encounters. But Thor didn’t, and Loki found himself swallowing painfully at the haunted look the blond was giving him.

“They were not the gift I spoke of, Loki; they were merely the only means I could think of to communicate with you,” Thor murmured as he brought a shaky hand up to trace over beloved features, completely oblivious to the silent tears that had begun to leak from his eyes.

Loki was finding it hard to breathe as he stared transfixed at the glowing face just inches away from his own, the lax arm holding him in place having nothing to do with his sudden need to break free and run as far away from there as he could get. He had never seen Thor look so broken, and a dark part of his mind began to taunt that this was what he had always wanted, the ‘almighty Thor’ reduced to a pathetic shell of a man all because of him. Only, this was _not_ what he wanted at all. Against his better judgment, Loki captured the hand that was stroking his face and brought it down to rest against his chest where he held it cradled between his thinner ones, his voice sounding nearly as broken as Thor’s when he asked hesitantly, “What is it you mean to say, Thor?”

The blond found that he had to suck in a large amount of air since he had no breath with which to speak, but once he was finally able to find his voice he was determined that it sound stronger than before as he sought to drive his point home. “All those times I gave you flowers, I was also giving you a piece of myself. I didn’t comprehend the meanings behind them until recently, and now that I know…I-I am so sorry…” Thor broke off on a ragged exhalation and felt his heavy head rock forwards until it came to rest against the smooth skin of Loki’s brow, his harsh pants gusting over the other man’s face. “I never meant to hurt you, but it was the only way I knew how to express my affection,” he gasped, steeling himself for what he knew would come next and slowly easing back to look his companion in the eye.

“You claim to not be my brother and do your best to provoke me into fighting with you, but no matter what darkness dwells within you, Loki, I want you to know one thing,” Thor stated firmly, swallowing down the sob that yearned to break free at the sight of the vulnerable eyes staring back at him and bringing both hands up to frame the beloved face in front of him. “I have always been and shall always remain _your_ captive, and just because I’ve chosen to take a stand against this madness that has overtaken you does _not_ mean that I love you any less. You have my _heart_ , Loki; whether or not we are brothers in blood that fact shall never change.”

Loki had noticed his cheeks beginning to dampen the moment Thor pulled back to look him in the eye, but this time he made no attempts to hide the tears; if Thor could wear his proudly then so could Loki. As gentle thumbs began to wipe away the wetness on his face, he struggled to find a response that would crush the hope shining brightly in Thor’s eyes, but found that all he could manage was a weak head shake and a choked, “You can’t possibly mean that, not after everything that has happened. You should _hate_ me…”

“Since when have I ever done that which I _should_?” Thor chuckled, the sound reverberating in the space between them and leading the other man to snuffle a wet laugh of his own. After a few moments of silence passed by with nothing but the sounds of their mutual sniffles filling the air, Thor decided to press his luck and slowly began to arrange them into their accustomed position from their time in Asgard, his breath once again stoppering in his throat as he waited for Loki’s reaction. “Do you wish to be rid of me, Brother?” he croaked, after another round of silence went by with no response from the figure he was clutching close to his chest.

Finally, after what seemed like a hundred lifetimes, Thor felt the head resting against his shoulder turn and nuzzle up against his neck as slender hands covered his own thick ones where they currently rested across Loki’s abdomen. “I couldn’t be rid of you even in death, Brother,” a dulcet voice sighed, and Thor felt a new wave of tears crest over his lashes at the smile he detected in the other man’s voice and the term of endearment that Loki had let slip out. It was the first time since his brother’s fall that Loki had spoken the word in a voice that wasn’t harsh or mocking, and Thor knew right then that no matter how damaged the other man had become there was still hope for him to get _his_ Loki back.

As they continued to sit in now-companionable silence, Thor made a mental note to thank the Lady Potts for the book she had given him on the language of flowers; the woman was truly a gift sent by the Norns.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Five times Thor used flowers to mistakenly give Loki the wrong impression, and the one time he got it right.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So after much deliberation, I decided to add a little epilogue in which _Loki_ gave _Thor_ some flowers. Hopefully this will not spawn into a sequal of sorts, but I make no promises.

Epilogue: Forget-Me-Nots (True love, forget me not)

It seemed like an eternity since he had last seen Loki, but a look at the Midgardian device for the counting of the seasons told Thor that it had in fact only been half a season since their last encounter, an event that continued to play repeatedly in the god of thunder’s dreams. For the first time since they had taken up residence in Midgard, Thor had been privileged to witness his brother let down the wall of ice and bitterness that had been separating them ever since his return from exile, and when the time had come for them to go their separate ways that evening Loki had smiled the genuine smile that he used to wear during their youth and had given the blond a fleeting kiss on the cheek. It wasn’t much, but when combined with the fact that the younger man had allowed Thor to hold him like so many times past, it was enough to give the older man hope that Loki was not yet lost to him. However, the lightness that had been in the thunder god’s heart after that meeting had begun to diminish with every day that passed by with no sign of his brother.

Thor continued to battle alongside his Avenger colleagues until one fight bled into another to the point where they all seemed to be the same. It wasn’t until his apparent sabbatical that the Avengers were forced to admit that despite being a villain Loki was never boring, and without him around to throw a wrench into their daily routine there was no other word to describe their battles but _monotonous_. Thor was just about ready to come unraveled due to his desire to see Loki again when he came upon a most unusual sight waiting for him in his quarters, for standing proudly on his nightstand was a glass vase loaded with delicate blossoms the color of Midgard’s sky. It took the blond no more than the blink of an eye to change his expression from that of confusion to that of elation, for he knew the gift could be from no one save for his elusive brother, and the thunder god was across the room in three resounding bounds. His booming laughter upon noticing that the vase was in fact made of a sturdy plastic rather than glass caused several inquiries to be called out from down below, but Thor paid his comrades no mind when he caught sight of the small note that had been tucked underneath the vase.

As he read his brother’s elegantly scrawled words, the blond felt his grin widen to the point where it threatened to split his face in twain, but the silent tears that crept down his cheeks as he recalled the incident that Loki's missive referred to were not those of mirth but rather shame. The blooms that his brother had left him were similar to those that he had placed in Loki’s raven-colored locks all those years ago, and the thought of how his brother must have felt at the time caused the blond’s throat to constrict painfully. He had royally buggered up that attempt at displaying his affection and he hadn’t even known it at the time, but according to Loki’s note his brother had seemed to have put the incident behind him. Apparently, the Trickster felt that he needed some time away from the ‘villain scene’ in order to organize his thoughts, but he promised that he would return so that Thor and his friends wouldn’t become 'complacent' and 'soft'. In the meantime, the god of thunder was told that these particular blossoms would ensure that he would never forget his mischievous brother, and Thor couldn’t help but smile sadly at the paper in his hand.

“I do not require such things to keep you in my thoughts, Brother,” he whispered to his semi-darkened room. The responding chuckle that echoed around him caused Thor to whip his head about for a sign of the ever elusive sorcerer, but it appeared that Loki was determined to keep his presence ethereal this time.

It wasn’t until the blond was firmly within Morpheus’s grasp that the dark-haired man slipped from the shadows that he had been concealing himself in and glided towards the room’s bed, bestowing a fond smile on the occupant. “You may not require a reminder, dear brother, but I dare say that you could use a talisman on which to cling to whenever your thoughts turn to me,” he murmured to the sleeping form, tracing an idle path over Thor’s slackened features with a cool fingertip. He hadn’t told his brother that he had preserved the flowers that Thor had given him in the past, for despite the less than pleasant memories that surrounded them he could not deny that they had been the most sincere gifts that he had ever been given, and when Loki found himself in need of something to hold on to for a bit of comfort he would run his fingers over the various blooms.

He gave the slumbering figure a lingering kiss to the brow and a last caress to a stubbled cheek before fading back into the shadows of the night, and once he was safely ensconced back in his ‘lair’ of sorts Loki prayed that he had done the right thing. Gifting Thor with that particular flower had meant tipping his hand more than he would have perhaps liked, but ever since their encounter in that meadow of cherry blossoms he found that he didn’t care to see his brother in anguish again. If preserving Thor’s happiness meant that he would have to make amends with his brother, then he would willingly (albeit grudgingly) do so, for Loki would sooner suffer the fires of Muspelheim than see a look of utter brokenness on his brother’s face again.


End file.
